A night to celebrate Jovia Mentoring: Guiding and Inspiring Student Success at Adelphi University.
“Mentors help us bridge the gap between where we are now and where we want to be.”
That description of mentoring, from keynote speaker Valencia Saint-Louis ’20, set the tone for Adelphi’s celebration of the Jovia Mentoring: Guiding and Inspiring Student Success program on January 29.
For Adelphi’s mentoring program, held during National Mentoring Month, proof of success is in the data. One hundred percent of students who have joined and remained in the mentoring program made it through to graduation. And their cumulative GPA is higher compared to all other undergraduates.
The founder and leader of Adelphi’s mentoring program is Chotsani Williams West ’07, EdD, assistant vice president of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging and adjunct professor in both the College of Arts and Sciences and the Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences.
Dr. West has an impressive background in mentoring, including earning professional certifications from the Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City Center for Training and Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service: Skills to Mentor Youth and Mentoring Supervision. She has worked with organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.’s Leadership Development Institute, the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development, and the Southern Scholars Initiative, guiding their mentoring efforts.
For Dr. West, the evening is an opportunity to celebrate mentor and mentee pairs. “I will always invite current participants in the program and past participants to talk about their experiences and what mentoring meant to them, and how they have impacted each other,” she said.
Jovia Financial Credit Union Joins the Mentoring Mission
Jovia Financial Credit Union began underwriting the Adelphi mentoring program in 2023. “Jovia was very pleased with the evidence-based practices and culturally responsive approach to our mentoring work and the structure of the program, and they became the sponsors of it to ensure that this work could continue into the future,” Dr. West said.
Peter Purpura ’08, vice president of business development at Jovia, welcomed participants to the celebration, and shared his own belief in the power of mentoring. In his remarks, he challenged everyone in the audience to bring more mentoring into their lives—both to mentor and to be mentored by others.
Representatives from Girls Inc. also joined the celebration, to recognize the Long Island chapter of Girls Inc. executive director’s award.
How Dr. West Pairs Mentors with Mentees
Program mentors and mentees were central to the celebration. Melinda Neus, senior assistant director of events at Adelphi, introduced her mentee, neuroscience major Wensha Noel. Both are first-generation Haitian and connected culturally as a mentoring pair.
Dr. West noted that pairing a student with someone who would invest in their future, identify with their career choices and could help them understand how to move forward—even through times when they were dealing with uncertainty—is critical to mentoring success. A basic connection, such as a cultural bond shared by Neus and Noel, can start a successful mentor and mentee relationship.
Keynote Speech from a Mentee Who Became a Mentor
The National Mentoring Month Celebration keynote speech came from Valencia Saint-Louis ’20, an Adelphi graduate and past program mentee. She pointed out that, in 2019, she participated in the Mentoring Month Celebration as a mentee.
Saint-Louis, now a strategic communications specialist and advocate for women’s wellness and empowerment, noted that “mentors help mentees see blind spots that may stand in the way of their success, which can turn into self-doubt.” She has also discovered that mentors can have a lasting impact, as mentors become career colleagues through the years.
Showcasing the Success of Mentoring at Adelphi
Adelphi’s Mentoring Month Celebration, as an annual event, has an additional benefit that comes along with saluting the Adelphi program. It brings the program’s success in front of the University community, including students and even potential mentors who can see the opportunity the program offers.
“I think the attendees who were listening to the testimonials of the mentoring pairs felt the enthusiasm and sincerity among the mentoring pairs,” Dr. West said. “They were very moved to know that the impact was felt so greatly, and you can see it in the room. You saw the smiles. You saw the heads nodding. It was such a welcomed evening of celebration.”
Dr. West added, “This event is an excellent place for people to learn about the importance of mentoring, the power of mentoring. It is a testament to this good work—my life’s work.”
2025 Honorees
Renee Flagler, Executive Director of Girls Inc. of Long Island
- Spirit Award (2025) for Remarkable Contributions to the Nonprofit Sector and Beyond
- Collaboration Award (2020) for Remarkable Mentoring as a Community Leader
Brooks Frederick, Adjunct Professor, Studio Art, Adelphi University
- Appreciation Award for Contributions to Mentoring Future Generations of Artists in Social Justice
Anne M. Mungai, PhD, Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives and Graduate Studies, Professor of Education, Adelphi University
- Trailblazer Award for Exemplary Leadership of the Faculty of Color Network
Melinda Neus, Senior Assistant Director of Events, Adelphi University
- Certificate of Appreciation for the Testimonial Keynote Address
Joanna Templeton, Lead Editor and Senior Director of Content, Adelphi University
- Mentoring Champion Award
Wensha Noel, Student Mentee, Senior, Neuroscience Major, Adelphi University
- Certificate of Appreciation for the Testimonial Keynote Address
Valencia Saint-Louis ’20, Keynote Speaker, Strategic Communications Specialist, Advocate for Women’s Wellness and Empowerment
- Certificate of Recognition for Keynote Address